Pluses and Minuses

Plus: We're all grateful for the life-saving efforts of a teen, his mother and lifeguards Tuesday at Hollander Pool, where a 5-year-old girl was resuscitated after being found at the bottom of the pool. While some have been wondering how the girl got into difficulties without anyone noticing, it's important to remember how challenging it can be to track hundreds of people in a pool on a hot summer day. All swimmers need to be cognizant of those around them to assist lifeguards in their duties. And remember, potential drowning victims aren't usually yelling or kicking for help, as many people might think. It appears we all got a valuable reminder this week without, thankfully, experiencing a tragedy.

Plus: The Food Pantry Network of Licking County always provides a vital service to the needy among us by providing food on a monthly basis through its 32 food pantries. Now, it's offering fresh produce, too, on a more frequent basis by setting up distribution markets at locations across the county. We're even happier to report business has been brisk, with people seizing the opportunity to get watermelons, tomatoes and corn for their families. With our society's renewed emphasis on being healthier and reducing obesity, it's important to make sure healthy food such as fresh produce is available to everyone. Congratulations to the network and director Chuck Moore for making it happen.

Plus: We're pleased to hear that local police and the Ohio Highway Patrol don't hold onto data obtained from license plate scans for as long as many American police departments. In a surprising report this week, the American Civil Liberties Union reported some agencies are holding onto data for years after they scan license plates, raising fears of violating citizen privacy. We fully support using these scanners. They're invaluable for helping police locate stolen cars or wanted suspects as officers patrol. But they're also collecting data on all license plates, meaning the data could be used later for investigations or other purposes. The Ohio Highway Patrol deletes all "non-hit" results immediately, while Newark police and the Licking County Sheriff delete after 45 days, possibly giving investigators an opportunity to possibly show a vehicle was at a crime scene.

Minus: Ohio's unemployment rate increased in June to 7.2 percent and now stands just slightly lower than a year ago. The good news is more Ohioans are looking for work, which accounted for the bump in the rate. Ohio also remains below the national rate of 7.6 percent.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Email this article

Pluses and Minuses

Plus: We're all grateful for the life-saving efforts of a teen, his mother and lifeguards Tuesday at Hollander Pool, where a 5-year-old girl was resuscitated after being found at the bottom of the